Vegan Carrot Cake With Cinnamon-Cashew Frosting Recipe
Prep Time:
10 hours, 25 minutes
Cook Time:
35 minutes
Servings:
10 servings
Ingredients
  • 3 cups raw whole cashews
  • 3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • 1 cup canned coconut cream, well-stirred
  • 2 ½ cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1 tablespoon cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ cup melted virgin coconut oil, cooled
  • 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed
  • ⅓ cup warm water
  • ½ cup golden raisins
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ½ cup canola oil
  • ½ cup unsweetened oat or almond milk
  • ½ cup granulated sugar
  • ½ cup light brown sugar
  • 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
  • 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
  • 2 cups shredded carrots
  • 1 cup crushed pineapple, drained of juice
  • 1 cup finely chopped raw walnuts, plus more for garnish
  • 1 (7-ounce) roll of marzipan
  • Red, yellow, and green plant-based food coloring
  • ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
Directions
  1. Start the frosting 1 day in advance by placing the cashews in a large, heat-proof bowl and covering with hot water. Cover and soak the cashews for at least 8 hours and up to overnight.
  2. Drain and rinse the cashews.
  3. Transfer the cashews to a high-speed blender or food processor along with the lemon juice, vanilla, and apple cider vinegar. Process until a paste forms.
  4. Add the coconut cream, confectioners' sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Process until completely smooth, scraping down the sides a few times (about 2 minutes total).
  5. With the blender running, drizzle in the melted coconut oil and process until smooth.
  6. Pour the frosting into a large bowl and place in the freezer for 30 minutes.
  7. Whisk the frosting smooth and freeze for an additional 30 minutes. Repeat the process 3 times in total.
  8. While you work on the frosting, preheat the oven to 350 F.
  9. Prepare two 8-inch round baking pans by coating the insides with baking spray and lining the bottoms with parchment circles.
  10. Make the cake: In a small bowl, mix the ground flaxseed and warm water. Let sit for 10 minutes, until thickened.
  11. In a separate, medium bowl, cover the golden raisins with hot water and plump while the flaxseed meal is sitting.
  12. Drain the raisins and set aside.
  13. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg, and cloves.
  14. In another mixing bowl, whisk together the canola oil, oat milk, granulated and brown sugar, vanilla, apple cider vinegar, and flaxseed mixture until smooth.
  15. Stir the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients.
  16. Fold in the carrots, pineapple, walnuts, and plumped raisins, taking care not to overmix.
  17. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared pans.
  18. Bake the cakes for 35 minutes, or until golden brown and firm to the touch.
  19. Cool the cakes completely in the pans, then turn them out onto racks.
  20. Once the frosting has thickened and is very cold, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to whip until the frosting is light and thick.
  21. Place one cake layer on a plate or serving platter.
  22. Spoon on about ¾ cup of frosting and evenly spread it to the edges.
  23. Place the second cake layer on top of the frosting, bottom-side up.
  24. Spread on the remaining icing to cover the top and all of the sides of the cake.
  25. Use the additional chopped walnuts as a garnish.
  26. To make the marzipan carrots, add a small amount of red and yellow food coloring to a golf ball–sized piece of marzipan, and knead to create an orange dough, wearing gloves, if desired.
  27. Repeat the process with green food coloring and a smaller amount of marzipan to make a green dough for stems.
  28. Roll small balls of orange dough about the size of a hazelnut, and then form them into a carrot shape.
  29. Use a toothpick to create ridges in the dough and poke a hole at the top of the carrots to insert the stems.
  30. Roll thin pieces of the green dough into stem shapes and insert them into the holes in the carrot tops.
  31. Brush the carrots with a bit of cinnamon to simulate dirt.
  32. Place the carrots decoratively around the top of the cake as a garnish.
  33. Keep the cake refrigerated until ready to slice and serve.